It’s about immigrants, all immigrants

In today’s New York Times there is an op-ed about Saint Patrick’s Day being not so much about the Irish as immigrants. In his op-ed Mr. Behrens points out that before the Irish immigration, caused in part by the great famine, there the word “immigrant” was not used. The people that came to America before the Irish were either settlers or slaves.

Immigrant is not a proud name it’s a name put upon people along with some other names:

“It’s embarrassing to listen to prosperous 21st-century Americans with Irish surnames lavish on Mexican or Central American immigrants the same slurs — “dark,” “dirty,” “violent,” “ignorant” — once slapped on our own, possibly shoeless, forebears. The Irish were seen as unclean, immoral and dangerously in thrall to a bizarre religion. They were said to be peculiarly prone to violence. As caricatured by illustrators like Thomas Nast in magazines like Harper’s Weekly, “Paddy Irishman,” low of brow and massive of jaw, was more ape than human, fists trailing on the ground when they weren’t cocked and ready for brawling.”
From:

It’s About Immigrants, Not Irishness

By PETER BEHRENS

Brooklin, Me.

I would add one thing about people we call “immigrants”. When they first come here they find jobs, sometimes several jobs a day. They save most of their money, and work together with family and friends. When they are ready they buy or create a small business. After a generation they are business leaders in their communities. After several generations they are ready to call new people coming here by that derogatory name; “immigrant”. It happened about that way with the Irish, Polish and Italians.

The Mexican immigrants in Chester County are now at the business owner stage. As a group, Mexican Americans are one of the drivers of Chester County’s economy.

If Mexican, Indian and several other nationalities of people did not migrate to Chester County, PA, USA real estate salesmen would have a more difficult time selling the mansion style 7 bedroom homes built in Chester County in the early 21 Century.